


If The Crown Fits, Wear It

by Geek_Bean



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Mentioned Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Mild Hurt/Comfort, Ranboo-centric (Video Blogging RPF), im so clearly a phil apologist in this it hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:54:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28835907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geek_Bean/pseuds/Geek_Bean
Summary: Ranboo hadn’t lost something on the scale his friends had after the explosion. He hadn’t lost memories, or a life, but after the debris cleared and Phil gave him somewhere to stay, he discovered his crown was missing.Phil finds a second chance in the enderman hybrid before him.
Relationships: Ranboo & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), no shipping or ill eat your kneecaps
Comments: 11
Kudos: 366





	If The Crown Fits, Wear It

**Author's Note:**

> WOOOOOO i did this because i had found a tiktok showing how to make it and while i was making one i thought of this concept and had to write it (heres the tutorial if you’re curious https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJTCcuJ6/ )

The explosion in L’manburg was devastating. Not emotionally, at least not for Ranboo, but the mass destruction that left nothing but a deep pit and some untouched wood would be put to shame if it were not at least considered a catastrophe. A lot was lost that day—houses, resources, even pets if Friend counted as one. Not many bothered to take what was valuable to them out of the country, likely filled with some false hope that they could prevail by unity alone. And they might’ve been able to, if there was any real unity in the first place. Ranboo was just glad he had taken his pets out before it happened, there was no way they would’ve survived it.

He did lose something, though. He hadn’t even noticed in his clouded mind after the debris had cleared and he went among the groups of people, asking if they were alright and listening to what they had to say like they were NPC’s in some cruel video game he was forced to be the main character in (Honestly, he wouldn’t be surprised if they felt the same about him. Everyone was rather out of it). He didn’t want to hear any of it, it was just the _same_ rhetoric that caused what had happened not 10 minutes ago. Pick sides, don’t trust people.

It was only when Philza had called him while he was standing over his panic room, his brain falling deeper and deeper into its horrible spiral, that he finally felt something other than a chilling emptiness or a vague sense of grief. When Phil offered him a place to stay, somewhere away from all this mess of sides and hatred, made sure he had no visible injuries and asked how he was feeling, he felt _wrong_ accepting the affection. He had done everything, he was the reason it happened. And yet, exhaustion was settling deep in his bones, and Phil’s offer seemed so open and comfortable that he decided to accept.

The man seemed happy at the acceptance, which confused Ranboo for a moment. After everything, he seemed perfectly content with taking in the hybrid and leading him through the (rather dangerous) path in the nether. It was only as they stood side by side on the slightly wider path that Phil had finally spoken up. 

“Your crown’s missing?” He mentioned, pointing at the empty spot on Ranboo’s head. The enderman looked surprised when he realized he hadn’t noticed before, reaching a hand up to feel where he was used to having a metal crown. 

“Oh..” He said softly, a small pang of.. guilt? sadness? piercing his chest. He wasn’t sure where it came from, or why he felt it. Maybe the crown was a sign of a grand past, some gem from a time that he no longer remembered. Perhaps a happy past, filled with loving people who felt excited to watch their prince walking through the town, or a less than fortunate life, where he only obtained the jewelry through theft on his behalf or the behalf of a stranger. It wasn’t like he _remembered_. 

He still wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or a curse. On one hand, he could pretend he had a wonderful life before he lost his memory, before he had reached Hypixel, before he came here. He could pretend he had loving parents, that the crown was a sign of a wealthy life and that he had so much ready for him. 

~~_That’d mean he had to have left that at some point, though_ ~~

On the other, it could also mean he would never know if he had been terrible in his past years. He’d never know if he lived as some senseless thief, he’d never know if his parents loved him or if he even _had_ parents in the first place, he’d never know if he hurt people, or if he had used his power bestowed in the crown to run his people into the dirt. He might’ve just lived homeless his whole life. 

~~_Maybe that’s why he never really knew if he was home or not_ ~~

The look of disappointment had not been missed by the blonde, who sympathetically placed a hand on his shoulder. “We can always replace it! Once you’re all situated, I’ll get you a new one,” He promised, which made Ranboo look up with a slight hint of hope. 

Phil knew the look. It was somewhat different based on the circumstance, but he remembered the days where Techno broke another fake sword, or when Wilbur had accidentally messed up his guitar and couldn’t figure out how to fix it, or when Tommy had lost something that seemed so small yet meant the world to him for some reason. They would cry, because it was the only way children knew how to show emotions, and Phil would hold them and tell them it was okay, that it could be replaced, or fixed, or found. And he would promise them to help with whatever it was they needed, and they would look up at him with those sad yet hopeful eyes. And he would say,

“Yeah! That sounds good, right?”

And the child would smile through their sad looks and nod. Techno had done it, Wilbur had done it, Tommy had done it, and now here Ranboo was, towering over Phil and trying to hold back a flood of tears, doing the same.

And for a moment, Phil felt as though he hadn’t aged a day. As though L’manburg had never happened, as though he was still the stressed, yet bright spirited young adult he once was, who was trying to raise a bunch of rowdy children. For a moment Ranboo was no longer a 6’6” dual colored teenager, but rather the small (yet growing) child with brown curly hair clutching a guitar with one of the strings broken that he had lost months ago.

Ranboo had noticed the slight sad look behind Phil’s eyes, but chose not to press on, simply following him through the portal on the cliffside.

Immediately Ranboo noticed the drastic change in temperature, from the suffocating heat of the nether to the biting cold of the snowy biome he and Techno lived in. His hands quickly raised to his arms, hugging himself like it’d keep him any warmer. Phil noticed and reached to undo the clip of his heavy coat to lend to him, but the other quickly snapped a hand up to stop him and shook his head. 

“It’s fine, I- I can deal with it,” He said sharper than he intended, biting down tightly before his teeth chattered and made it even _more_ obvious how cold he was along with his shivering. The older gave a concerned look, but it was clear from the way he shook his head more aggressively while he kept trying to unclip it that made it clear he wasn’t going to take it. So he sighed and lowered his hand, stepping down from the stone the portal was on to walk towards the small area he and Techno resided. Ranboo looked hesitant for a moment, eyeing the ground nervously, but sucked in a breath and let his feet sink into the snow when Phil asked if he was okay, and if he was coming.

Ranboo ignored the persistent sting of snow seeping into his shoes and getting his socks wet, giving the best smile he could whenever Phil would look back at him when he showed another farm, or the dog kennel, or the stasis chamber. It made him slightly guilty to admit he was relieved when he was finally dragged inside Techno’s cabin, even if it was short lived. He had quickly discarded his socks and shoes at the front, next to a small patch of the flooring which seemed to be messed up. It was safe to assume it was from constant melted snow, and that was where Techno and Phil kept their boots. It hadn’t quite stopped the burning, but it wasn’t enough pain to get Ranboo to react that much. It didn’t seem as though the blonde had caught on, because he simply motioned around the cabin and told the younger to make himself at home.

It finally occurred to Ranboo where he _was_ . He was in _Techno’s_ cabin, the man who had completely blown a country to bits without any regrets for a _second_ time not more than an hour ago. And yet, he wasn’t scared. Or rather, he was, but not for that reason.

Techno hadn’t ever seemed to _like_ Ranboo. And that could be his own mind racing and playing tricks on him to give him the isolating feeling of having no one, but regardless, he was still unsure whether or not the piglin enjoyed his presence. And now he was in his _house_ , his private abode, being told he could take whatever he could possibly need. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if Techno _knew_ he was here, or that Phil invited him over. He’d have to repay him, somehow.

He trailed behind the shorter man who walked over to the chests, beckoning Ranboo to open them. So he did, under the gaze of Phil, who watched his face light up with wonder. 

“You guys are _rich_!” He exclaimed, looking up at the man who just laughed at him. Not maliciously, though. More of a fond laugh. Though that could just be his own mind playing tricks on him, to make him feel comfortable and welcomed when he _wasn’t_.

He was about to look at the other chests when he finally saw the boat with someone sitting in it. That _someone_ happened to be an enderman, towering over him and Phil while _sitting down_ , and who would’ve likely reached the ceiling if he stood straight. They made eye contact (or rather, something similar. Ranboo stared at the space above his head whilst the stranger stared at his nose), and without noticing, Ranboo made a soft distorted noise that Phil easily recognized as an enderman chirp.

“Oh, that’s Edward,” Phil filled in, smiling at the teen, though he couldn’t tell if he was nervous or excited. And honestly, it was a mix of both. Ranboo hadn’t really gotten the chance to speak to other endermen, or at least he hadn’t been able to for a long, long time. He waved a bit, getting a quiet, distorted gurgle as a response. Something he could mostly understand as a ‘nice to meet you.’ It was clear he was taking him in, and probably had things to say to him, but it seemed to be something he’d wait for another time to address as he sat back in his boat and stared out the window to ponder.

Phil pat Ranboo on the back, “I have things to do. Feel free to warm up in here, we’ll start some plans for that house when I get back, yeah?” He said, softening at the slightly saddened look that crossed the hybrid’s face for a moment before he replaced it with a smile and a nod.

“Yeah, that works! Thank you, by the way,” He said quickly, stiffly sitting in the chair that was placed near the line of chests. He wasn’t planning on staying in here for the night (he didn’t want to be in Techno’s hair), but it felt like it would be rude to leave right as Phil had been so kind to invite him in.

Phil, of course, nodded along. “Of course, mate,” He said kindly, giving Ranboo a warm feeling he wasn’t sure he’d felt before (or maybe he had, and he just didn’t remember). Something that made him feel wanted. The winged man turned to walk out, but his eyes caught the shoes left at the front and jumped to attention again. “Oh! One more thing,” He smiled and dropped down the ladder next to the exit, making Ranboo both worried and curious. There was light rustling he could hear from below, before suddenly blonde hair peeked over the floor again and Phil dumped a heavy coat and a pair of boots onto it before climbing back up completely.

“No idea if these will fit you, it’s all old stuff, but it’s better than being out there with dress shoes,” He explained, picking up the articles of clothing from the ground just to drop them into Ranboo’s lap. The enderman jumped a bit, looking down at it skeptically. “We can always make you bigger stuff, if this isn’t good.”

The hybrid quickly shook his head, clutching the warm cloth closer. “No, no! These should be fine,” He said quickly, not wanting to cause more disturbances. It was probably true for the coat, since it looked like it was made for someone around his height, maybe a bit shorter, but the boots were clearly going to be a tight fit. He didn’t quite _dread_ it, but it wasn’t something he was ecstatic to try.

Phil seemed skeptical, but didn’t want to pressure him on his very first day here. “Okay, but _promise_ me you’ll tell me if you need it fixed?”

“Yeah! Of course!” Ranboo smiled awkwardly, trying not to get the older more on his case than he already was. He was given one last unsure look, before Phil sighed a sigh that made the teen unsure if he did something wrong and nodded.

“Alright, I’ll see you later,” He waved goodbye before walking out the door, leaving the cabin silent with just Ranboo and Edward, aside from his heavy footsteps trailing down the staircase outside. And for once, the silence wasn’t scary or anxiety inducing, as a fire burned softly in the corner that Ranboo hadn’t noticed before. Slowly he sank down in his seat, a calm feeling washing over him for a moment. This place certainly seemed more welcoming than his last home.

——————————————

Philza had spent a good portion of his afternoon in Techno’s cabin, sitting in the same chair Ranboo was sat in the day before when he left. And more specifically, he spent the afternoon watching said teen from the window as he put together a scuffed shack whilst also being stared at from a small, rather cute black and white bunny he had found and taken in. He didn’t seem like he was worried about much of anything, other than the judgemental looks said rabbit was giving him. 

Occasionally, though, he would glance around for something, then reach onto his head where his usual crown was placed, only for a sad look of realization settled on his face for a moment before he continued his work. Phil had indeed commissioned a new crown as he promised, describing the old one as best he could from the few times he’d seen it. The only huge difference would be the one large emerald in the front, rather than whatever jewel was previously there. However, that crown was going to take at _least_ a few days.

And then Phil remembered the spare sheets of paper tucked in Techno’s storage, and days he’d spend hunched over a dinner table with three kids watching his actions like hawks as he constructed small paper crowns for them. They weren’t hard to make, per say, but they took at least a few minutes each. However, the delighted look on each of his children’s faces as they ran off with the brightly colored hats and wooden swords was well worth the time. He remembered, Tommy always demanded a red one, Wilbur always wanted yellow, and Techno had used yellow for a while before Wilbur wanted yellow, so he switched to red until Tommy had insisted he got a red one. After that he stuck with pink due to Phil’s recommendation. He likes to think he was the reason Techno liked the color so much.

Phil hoped Ranboo wouldn’t mind the plain white crown, since they didn't quite have the colorful paper he used to use, and pulled a few pieces out. Each paper made four parts, and he always used nine parts in a crown, he remembered. Typically he discarded the extra in the trash.

And so he cut them into halves and folded them until they connected neatly. Clear tape was hidden on the inside to hold it together, and he looked up to see Ranboo had disappeared. He was a bit concerned, sure, but he knew that the teenager knew how to protect himself and get home, meaning that his absence was less a place for worry and more of a perfect opportunity to leave the gift. He quickly stood up (ignoring the creaking of his joints) and jogged out to the stall, not wanting to get caught in the act even if it was no secret that it was planted there by him, since he left a note explaining himself. And as quickly as he came, he left, leaving a clear trail of footsteps in the snow and a gift.

Ranboo didn’t make it home until far later, his mind buzzing from both excitement and exhaustion from his long journey. He was prepared to lay down, maybe let Ranbun sit with him for a bit, and wind down from his day. However, the footprints in the snow didn’t go unnoticed, and his attention shifted. At first he was worried, until he noticed that they just led from the cabin and back to it. And then he noticed the small paper crown on his chest, a note placed beside it. He picked both of the new items up, reading the note first.

_Ranboo!_

_I’m already getting to work on a new crown for you, but it probably won’t be done for a bit. Still, I noticed you seemed a bit lacking without something on your head. It’s not the same, but I remembered how to make paper crowns and thought you’d enjoy one for now. And if the crown fits, wear it, right?_

_\- Phil_

And suddenly Ranboo had a large, _genuine_ grin on his face. Not a nervous one, or a pity one, or even just one out of courtesy, a real, _genuine_ smile of joy that came from the love he could feel from one small act. His memory may be unreliable, but he still couldn’t remember the last time he did that. He slipped the note into his chest for safe keeping, his attention shifting to the paper crown he was holding. He looked over it, trying to understand how Phil had made it, but not wanting to pull away at the tape just to find out. After a while he gave up on trying to figure it out and placed it gently on his head, finally having the familiar feeling of something on his head again. 

While the last one seemed to be the only thing he had as an indicator of his vague past, the paper crown easily held more sentimental value than the extravagant metal ever did. 

And from a window across the way, Phil watched with fondness as Ranboo observed the crown, remembering the constant frustration of Tommy trying to figure out how his father constructed them and yet refusing help when offered. He’d pull away at the tape occasionally, but be too attached to actually completely take it apart. Soon enough he’d give up and return to terrorizing his brothers until Phil pulled him away. He looked back on those memories fondly, even if he was often thinking about it trying to find out where he went _wrong_. He felt like he did everything right, yet it all crashed down around him regardless. But the sudden shriek as a pile of snow dropped from the shoddy roof echoed in the cliffside brought him back to the present, he thought of Ranboo as another chance.

And maybe, just maybe, he could use what he knew to do things _right_ this time. Because to him, Ranboo deserved any scrap of childhood allowed to him after being forced to grow up. And by god, he’d give it to him.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed!! kudos, comments, and constructive criticism is always appreciated! sorry if phil is a bit out of character!


End file.
